Bush build on to early lead

BREAK OUT: Wairarapa-Bush wing Paul Tikomainavalu on the attack with Clark Butcher and Nathan Iro in support.

A win is a win is a win.

That old saying sums up perfectly the feeling after Wairarapa-Bush's 22-17 win over Horowhenua-Kapiti in their Heartland rugby championship match played at Memorial Park, Masterton on Saturday.

This was not a vintage Wairarapa-Bush performance by any means but the four points they picked up for the win keeps them well on track for a Meads Cup semifinal berth later in their campaign.

It was in the first 40 minutes that Wairarapa-Bush established what was to be a winning break. A late try to one of their standout performers, winger Paul Tikomainavalu, converted from the sideline by first-five Glen Walters, took them to a 16-0 advantage at halftime. Walters had been in fine kicking form, earlier kicking three penalties, two of them from long range.

The size of the lead was, however, a flattering one on the run of play. Tikomainavalu's try had actually started from a Horowhenua-Kapiti throw to a lineout which went horribly wrong and neither side had been ascendant in terms of possession or territory. In fact, most of the play in the first 40 minutes took place around the halfway mark such was the difficulty both teams had in breaking down their opponents' defence.

The second spell started badly for Wairarapa-Bush with hooker Richard Puddy sinbinned and Horowhenua-Kapiti's Sonny McBride landing the resultant penalty kick. Another Walters penalty restored the margin between the two sides to 16 soon after but from then on it was Horowhenua-Kapiti calling the tune and Wairarapa-Bush desperate to keep them at bay.

Horowhenua-Kapiti hopes of a comeback victory soared in the 66th minute when wing Junior Togia somehow managed to tip-toe down the sideline and beat a couple of cover defenders at the same time for a fine try.The conversion attempt failed and Wairarapa-Bush led 19-8.

A fifth Walters penalty in the 72nd minute gave the home team a little more breathing space but then with five minutes showing on the clock Horowhenua-Kapiti ran in their second try, replacement Michael Tambour seizing on some tentative defence to score close to the posts.

McBride landed the kick and there was only one converted try in it.

Fortunately for Wairarapa-Bush it was they who commanded most of the possession in those closing stanzas and there was an obvious relief amongst players and supporters when the final whistle sounded and victory had been achieved.

It was ironic that while both Horowhenua-Kapiti tries came from poor tackling it was, in fact, the assertiveness of their defensive play which was the feature of the Wairarapa-Bush overall effort. Loosies Johan Van Vliet, Sam Marshall-Wilson and Nathan Iro were all prominent in that aspect of the game as were midfield backs Byron Karaitiana and Titapu Pairama-Lewington.

Marshall-Wilson was having his first start at Heartland level and apart from the stoutness of his defence also proved to be a handy winner of lineout ball and a determined runner in broken play.

Frontrowers Jonathon Fuimaono, Richard Puddy and Finnbarr Kerr-Newell anchored what was a dominant Wairarapa-Bush scrum in the first half but there was more than one occasion in the second spell where the platform there was much less secure. In fact, they even conceded a tighthead at one stage.

Encouragingly though, the lineout play was probably as efficient as it has been all season with both starting locks Lachie McFadzean and Clark Butcher making a useful impression in that department.

There was little joy for the Wairarapa-Bush backs in an attacking sense, not so much through any unwillingness on their part to have a crack when the opportunity arose but more because the lack of quality ball largely stifled that part of their game. Halfback Zeb Aporo generally chose his options well as did Walters at first-five and Karaitiana complemented some superb defensive work with equally aggressive running whenever the ball came his way. Undoubtedly, however, it was wing Tikomainavalu who made the biggest individual impact on attack, starring in three or four stirring sideline bursts which left a handful of defenders lying in his wake.

In other Heartland matches played on Saturday, King Country beat Thames Valley 27-22, West Coast beat South Canterbury 30-25, North Otago edged out Mid-Canterbury 19-18, Buller beat East Coast 28-12 and Wanganui beat Poverty Bay 25-21.

Wairarapa-Bush now share the competition lead with Mid-Canterbury and West Coast. They all have 14 points, followed by King Country and Thames Valley 13, Buller 11, North Otago and Wanganui 10, South Canterbury 7, East Coast and Horowhenua-Kapiti 6 and Poverty Bay 1 point.